Toshiba debuts ‘near-HD’ DVD player

FROM TWICE: Upconverting XD-E500 priced at $149

By Joseph Palenchar of TWICE -- Video Business, 8/18/2008

AUG. 18 | FROM TWICE: Toshiba is positioning its first DVD player with eXtended Detail Enhancement (XDE) technology as delivering "near-HD" picture quality from standard-definition DVDs and bridging the price and performance gap between current up-scaling DVD players and Blu-ray players.

The XD-E500, available at retail on Aug. 18 for a $149 suggested retail, is targeted to consumers who are heavily invested in DVD collections, aren’t ready to step up to a high-definition player priced at a minimum $400, and would appreciate an up-scaling DVD player "with an added layer of enhancement" that brings picture quality "closer to HD," said Louis Masses, product planning director of Toshiba’s digital A/V group. XDE technology, however, "is not meant to replace, kill or compete with Blu-ray," he said.

The introduction is backed by a print- and Web-based ad campaign urging consumers to "breathe new life into your DVDs."

Read the full story on TWICE.com.

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